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What Do You Know About Alcohol Abuse?

Misusing alcohol can lead to serious problems. Alcohol-use disorder can be mild, moderate, or severe. Alcohol-use disorder is a pattern of drinking that results in failure to meet work, home, or school responsibilities, among other things.
Alcoholism is the severe form of alcohol-use disorder. It is considered a disease with symptoms that include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control over drinking, or physical dependence.
Learn more about the effects of abusing alcohol by taking this quiz, based on information from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

1. Alcohol abuse is greatest among which of these age groups?

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The NIAAA reports that the highest rate of alcohol-use disorder is among young adults, 18 to 29 years old. No matter what age, though, alcohol abuse can lead to a host of health problems, including liver cirrhosis, damage to the immune system, and brain damage. Heavy drinking raises the risk of developing cancer of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx. Alcohol also raises the risk for death from vehicular crashes, recreational injuries, and work-related injuries.

A. 15- to 17-year-oldsB. 18- to 29-year-oldsC. 30- to 54-year-oldsD. 55 and older

2. How many drinks a day is defined as moderate alcohol consumption for women?

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For women, it's only 1 standard drink; for men, it's 2 drinks. A drink is defined as 1 12-ounce bottle or can of beer or wine cooler, 1 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Women have a lower recommended drinking limit than men because women's bodies don't process alcohol as quickly as men after drinking the same amount of alcohol. This may be because their bodies are usually smaller. Heavy drinking is defined as more than 14 drinks a week for men, and more than 7 drinks per week for women.

A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 4

3. Which of these is a symptom of alcohol-use disorder?

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Doctors use a guideline called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to diagnose alcohol-use disorder. If you meet any 2 of the 11 criteria over a 12-month period, you are diagnosed with the disorder. Depending on the number of criteria you meet, your diagnosis could be mild, moderate, or severe.

A. Giving up or cutting back on important social, work, or recreational activities because of alcohol useB. Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a carC. Continuing to drink despite problems with other people brought on by drinkingD. All of the above

4. Which of these factors contributes to alcohol-use disorder?

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A person who has a family history of alcohol-use disorder or alcoholism is at greater risk for abusing alcohol. But research shows that the genes are responsible for only half of the risk for alcohol-use disorder. Things in a person’s environment make up part of the remaining risk. So does the interaction of a person’s genes with his or her environment.

A. Family history of alcoholismB. EnvironmentC. A and BD. None of the above

5. Which of these behaviors is a symptom of alcoholism?

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Alcoholism is severe alcohol-use disorder and has symptoms that may include:

A strong craving for alcohol

A loss of control over how much alcohol is consumed at any one time and what the consequences of drinking are

Withdrawal symptoms, such as tremor or nausea, if alcohol is not consumed regularly

The need for increasing amounts of alcohol to feel good.

An alcoholic cannot simply use "will power" to stop drinking; his or her need for alcohol can be as great as the need for food or water. Most alcoholics need treatment and support to recover. For someone who abuses alcohol but has not become dependent, intervention and education often will be enough to stop the abuse, although sometimes professional help also is necessary.

A. A person looks forward to a set time of day when he or she can start drinkingB. A person attends social events only if alcohol is servedC. A person always has a "good" reason why he or she needs a drinkD. All of the above

6. Why is alcohol-use disorder in someone older than 65 more dangerous?

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Mixing alcohol with either over-the-counter or prescription medications can be dangerous or even fatal. More than 150 medications interact harmfully with alcohol. Alcohol also can make many chronic conditions of older people worse. These include high blood pressure and ulcers. Older people also have slower reaction times, as well as possible problems with hearing and seeing. These factors combined with drinking can raise the risk for falls, car crashes and other injuries in older adults.

A. Older adults are more likely to take prescription medicinesB. The body has a lower tolerance for alcoholC. It raises blood pressureD. All of the above

7. Alcoholism increases your risk for:

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Alcoholism also increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack, falls, and accidental death. Although some studies have shown a link between alcoholism and a higher risk for cognitive decline, the National Institutes of Health says that researchers still aren’t sure whether heavy alcohol use causes dementia.

A. CancerB. PancreatitisC. Liver damageD. All of the above

8. What can you do to drink less?

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Keep a diary for a week to track why and how much you drink. Wait an hour between drinks to slow down alcoholic intake. Pick one or two days a week to abstain from alcohol. If you think you may have a problem with alcohol, ask yourself these questions: Have you ever felt that you should cut down on your drinking? Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking? Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover? If you answered "yes" to one of these questions, you may have a problem with alcohol. If you had more than two "yes" answers, it is very likely that you have a problem with alcohol. Talk to your health care provider to help you plan the best course of action.

A. Keep a diary of when you drinkB. Space out your alcoholic beveragesC. Designate alcohol-free daysD. All of the above